Wire-stretcher.



NOW-635,975. Patented Oct. 3|, I899.

J. 8. SMITH. v

WIRE- STBETGHER.

(Application filed June 6, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES A TTOHNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT JAMES s. SMITH, OF BEEBE, ARKANSAS.

WIRE S'TRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,075, dated October31, 1899 Application filed June 6,1899. Serial No. 719,586. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JAMES 8. SMITH, residing at Beebe, in the county ofWhite and State of Arkansas, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in Wire-Stretchers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in wirestretchers seeking to provide asimple construction by which the wire can be stretched, including meansfor guiding and supporting the stretching-chain in advance of the pointof the application of the stretching force; also, to provideimprovements in the means for connecting the wire to be stretched withthe stretching-chain and to furnish other improvements, as will be morefully described.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinationsof parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my wire-stretcher asin use. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail viewillustrating the means whereby the wire to be stretched and thestretching-chain are connected. Fig. 4 is a detail View of thestretching-lever and connected parts partly broken away. Fig. 5illustrates the improvement in use in splicing barbed wire, and Fig. 6illustrates in detail the connection of the hooks with thestretching-lever.

The wires A may be secured to the post B in any desired manner.

The stretching-lever O is pivoted at O preferably to a chain D, whoseother end is passed around a post B and is secured bya hook D, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2. On opposite sides of its pivot the levers O areprovided with the stretching-hooks E, which are loosely jointed at theirends E to the lever (J and are bent at their other or free ends E sothey can move alternately into engagement with the stretching-chain Fand engage the same and draw upon it alternately as the lever O isrocked on its pivot C.

The chain F is connected with the wire A to be stretched, preferably, bythe means shown in detail in Fig. 3, and consisting of a ring G on thefree end of the stretching-chain F and a pin H crossing the ring G, thewire A being passed through the ring G on one side of the pin H, thenceover the pin H, and

again through the ring G on the opposite side of the pin and bent at Aaround the stretching-chain. This forms a secure connection for thewire, which can be quickly effected and would be found especiallyconvenient in connecting barbed wire with the stretching-chain.

To support the stretching-chain in advance of the point of applicationof the stretching force, which is at the point where the hooks E engagesuch chain, I provide the lever O at a point between itsstretching-hooks with a ring I, which forms a guide for the slackportion of the stretching-chain. This ring I is preferably located atthe pivot O of the lever O and receives the slack of thestretching-chain, guides the same out of the way, and relieves anydownward strain on the stretching-hooks at the point of their engagementwith the stretching-chain.

In. addition to its usefulness as a wirestretcher my invention will befound of convenience in stretching and splicing the separated ends ofbarbed wire. This is shown in Fig. 5, in which the chain D isillustrated as wrapped into connection with one end J of barbed wire andthe chain F in connection with another end J of barbed wire, so the twocan be drawn forcibly together by the lever C and spliced at J 2 in anysuitable manner.

The invention is simple, possesses no parts .likely to get out of order,can be easily carried from place to place, and be readily applied foruse.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the hooks are so connected with thestretching-1e ver that they will not drop at their free ends, but willbe held at all times in position to properly engage with thestretching-chain.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

. 1. The herein-described wire-stretchercomprising the lever pivotedbetween its ends, the stretching-hooks pivotally connected at one endwith the lever and adapted at their free ends to engage thestretching-chain, and a supporting guide-ring depending from the leverbetween the two stretching hooks, through which ring the chain mayfreely pass, substantially as set forth.

2. A wire stretcher substantially as described, consisting of thestretching-chain, a

circular ring at the free end thereof, a pin crossing said ring; theWire disposed through ring and adapted to engage with and operate thestretching-chain all substantially as and 10 said ring and over said pinand thence along for the purposes set forth. the stretching-chain, thelever pivoted between its ends and provided with a depending guide-ringthrough which the stretchingehain may freely pass, and the hooks carriedby the lever on opposite sides of the guide- JAMES S. SMITIL Witnesses:

FRED. T. RUCKER, DAVID D. COLE.

